Jane Marple is a tall, thin woman of between 65 and 70 years of age. She has white snowy hair, pale blue eyes, and a pinkish wrinkled face. Two of her hobbies (and subjects of conversation) are bird watching and gardening, and she is often seen carrying knitting needles and yarn (another hobby). She lives next door to Miss Hartnell and close to the Vicarage. Never married, Miss Marple (as she is affectionately known) has a young nephew Raymond who is a novelist. Miss Marple is a shrewd and intelligent woman, and a keen observer of human nature. There she differs with other detectives, for she believes that all people are alike everywhere, with their bad traits and evil desires (even in the small village of St. Mary Mead). Only her observations and knowledge of people are what lead her to the truth.
Here in St. Mary Mead, she solved the murder of Protheroe, owner of Old Hall. Later (here in St. Mary Mead), she solved the murder of the florist Mrs. Spenlow, the jewelry theft at the renovated Old Hall, the mystery of the body found in the library of Gossington Hall, and the murder of a young woman at a party at Gossington Hall (again!). Of course, Miss Maple had many more cases outside of the village (and even had one in the Caribbean).